Dreaming Up The Reality
by Idiosyncracy
Summary: Finding the differences wasn't the hard part of comparing the two. One person will bind him to the world he was never meant to exist in, while the other sets on freeing him. When fortune is the enemy, Riku was never the best at making decisions. Re-post.
1. Closing Your Eyes

**A/n: Wellll here we are again, take two. This story will henceforth be re-submitted with almost entirely new content! (forgive my previous display of childishness in my writing)**

**Let's try this again then, shall we?**

**On goes the reading!**

**Disclaimer: I only wish I owned KH...**

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The mainland of the Destiny Islands chain was notorious for its constant clash of cultures, experiences, and everything in between. The tropical dreamland was a common destination for many; paradise for all. As people went about their regular day, no matter how upside-down one's world may be, the scenery in itself caused the civilians to remember to smile.

Though perfection was that of an essence upon the mainland, misfortune never failed to strike one person too many.

In one of the many off-brand coffee shops that littered the main street and its branches was quite the uproar. It was another chilly gray Monday morning; odd weather had been plaguing the once-comfortably breezy city for weeks on end throughout the winter.

The surrounding area was full of bustling, impatient people; the smell of coffee beans only stimulated their already enthusiastic morning energy. The bell chimed from atop the door as people came entered and exited the facility.

And, in the midst of the caricature of instability, there happened to be yet another upset teenager. Adolescence in itself was an already traumatizing experience, many adults were glad to have rid the lingering emotional volatility. But this teen in particular probably couldn't care less about himself or what woes cursed him through the emotional roller coaster of life.

In fact, his current goal was to accomplish the trek to the register.

The silver-headed young man cast a glare frigid as ice to the inhabitants around him. Humans, as an entity, were infuriating. Impatience mixed with adrenaline was the recipe for disaster for city-dwellers. Cell phone ringtones could be heard as an almost omniscient presence, whether from a studying college student, intern for a magazine, or a normal business man or woman.

Riku, however, a senior high-school student, was more than prepared to annihilate the next Motorola, Sidekick, or any other cellular device that dared to vibrate or ring.

"Moshi Moshi!" A young girl with annoyingly-high pigtails giggled into her phone. Riku sighed in ill-contempt.

"Cloud better be happy I do these things for him…" The moody teen continued by murmuring a string of obscenities as he stood in line, looking at the seemingly endless list of errands in his hands.

He had, however, been given a choice to accomplish them either before or after school. How generous.

"Next, please." A petite blonde called over the stir of the compact area. She furrowed her brow as the red-headed man in front of Riku continued to bark mercilessly into his, yet again, cell phone.

"Look man, don't cause the lady any more stress, and move up if you could, please." The eighteen-year-old tapped the other man's arm impatiently as he made the suggestion.

Emerald-green eyes met aqua ones as the man glanced over his shoulder. Riku stared at the small tear-like tattoos under his eyes with slight curiosity, but looked away hurriedly, his impatient expression returning. The man nodded his head and held out his arm, a notion for Riku to step in front of him.

"Please, after you." The redhead, bedecked with earrings galore insisted, ignoring the shouts of complaints of the line's delay. Riku nodded hesitantly and stepped forward.

"Welcome to Sweets n' Things, may I take your order?" The blonde with a bob happily smiled with a blushing tint to her face as she wrung her hands behind the counter. Riku inwardly smiled; without all arrogance, he really _was_ quite the heartthrob.

"Yes," Scanning the menu, he quickly found what the list required, "Can I please have a Paopu Bean Iced Coffee with a blueberry muffin?" He smiled gently to the girl as she peeped a small affirmative reply to the person clearly upset of working the drinks that day. He murmured a thank you and walked the short distance to the _other_ waiting line to receive his drink; the waning impatience sunk back in.

"Leave it to no one _but_ Cloud to want a cold drink in the fucking _winter._" Riku's brows knitted together as he glanced at the time. The teen released a deep breath, listening to the mainland city sounds. He reminisced the quiet island he and his friends had grown up on; he could still see him and Sora shooting sling shots at the island birds. All sound faded for few content moments.

"I haven't seen you in here before; I'm a regular." An abrupt voice sounded behind Riku. He, somewhat awakened, turn in surprise, but relaxed, realizing it was only the man from minutes before.

"I'm guessing I shouldn't bother you when you have such a serious expression on?" The man laughed.

"Sorry for that. It's just that my roommate always sends me out like his little housewife. It gets annoying when things turn out like this." Riku made a sweeping motion throughout the room.

"Axel; mark it to memory." The other extended his hand for a shake. Obviously, there was some sort of joke behind the saying. "Maybe this roommate isn't one of the best for you? And if you don't mind my asking, judging by your uniform, aren't you maybe late for school?"

"Riku." The teen accepted the gesture, clasping the man's hand firmly. "And that's my point exactly. But, overall, he's not as bad as I've expressed." He added hurriedly.

"How long have you two known each other?"

"About two years now." Riku answered hesitantly. This stranger oddly had a clear desire to know more about him. A few moments of silence awkwardly passed between them.

"I'm sorry, but have I met you before? I feel as if I have…" Axel began again, hoping this didn't sound too cheesy, but having a feeling it did.

"You seem somewhat familiar…I don't think I recall where exactly." The teen closed his eyes in thought, "Some town I assume?"

"It had Twilight in it, I'm sure." The redhead continued.

The name donned the pair simultaneously; both of them stopped and stared at each other. Sound seemed to fade for enough time for the emerald and aquamarine eyes to blink a single time.

"Next!" the woman at the counter called.

"Well, it was nice to, uh, meet you, but I gotta run." Riku stepped close to the counter and received the items.

"Hopefully we'll meet again." Axel gave a small smile and waved the silver headed teen off.

"I don't know if it's best we did…" Riku muttered thoughtfully under his breath as he stepped out into the biting wind; he would have cursed Cloud again, but didn't have the mental capacity to think of anything other than the strange encounter.

He pulled his jacket tighter and ran across the busy street.

* * *

"Riku, wait up!" A spiky-haired brunette ran up to Riku, pushing him in the arm playfully as he continued to walk.

"The least you could do was respond when I call you! You must be brooding again." Sora continued to ramble to himself. Riku, only half listening to his best friend of ages, held a puzzled look on his face.

"Oh yeah Sora, your brother said your mom called you about Christmas break plans." Riku smirked devilishly to the other, the underlying message clear between the two.

"Dammit, Cloud could've given me a heads up at least! She's gonna kill me!" The teen cried in pretence agony. The other only grinned and walked by his side quietly.

"What's got your boxers in a bunch this time?" Sora deadpanned.

"Your metaphors are so blunt, you know that?"

"That's not the case right now. Is Cloud bothering you?"

Riku nodded 'no'.

"It's just… I met this guy at the coffee shop today…" He trailed off.

"Uh-oh," Sora's cobalt eyes twinkled, "Cloudy's gonna be angry." Sora sing-songed playfully.

"That's not it, Sora… I feel like I've seen him before..."

"Well then, maybe I know him too… what does he look like?" Sora tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"He looked like he always knows what's happening… like he keeps things from them to play with them…"

"That's _some_ description Riku."

"Like I said, I just feel as if I've met him before…" Riku said in agitation.

"Like where? We've been on these islands all our lives, and we know almost everybody here." Sora laughed off.

"But… I mean, it's not impossible for us have to left here… maybe, we just don't remember when…" The puzzled boy furrowed his eyebrows in thought.

"And, there goes Riku with his imagination in the lead!" Sora held an invisible microphone to his mouth and spoke excitedly.

"Oh, can it. Where's your other half?" The silverette hastily changed the subject.

"Roxas is coming to school later. He said he wasn't feeling well…" Sora looked up and smiled cruelly.

"PMS!" They chimed together jokingly as they laughed at the longtime joke.

"He always was the more feminine between the two of you. Other than that, I can understand what makes you two twins." Riku smiled plastically. His mind silently wandered. Sora rested his hands behind his head, gazing to the sky as Riku steadily stared at his feet.

They fell into silence.

* * *

Blue eyes stared impatiently into the white computer screen. Running a hand through his spiky blonde hair, the twenty- four year old man reached a hand towards his iced coffee;

Which was _not_ there.

Clenching his fists in mild frustration, Cloud saved his text file and shut down his computer, snapping the screen shut with unnecessary force. He rolled his chair away from his desk to sit in a short silence until the end of his 'peace- time'. Undoing a button, which was making him unreasonably agitated, on his white quarter–length sleeved shirt, he sighed. Cloud glanced at the digital clock above the door.

The bell rang, signaling Hell the start up its fires.

Giggling girls bounced into the classroom, removing assortments of brightly colored jackets they wore, while slouchy boys lazily stalked in with their book bags dragging the floor.

"Ohayo Mr. Strife." A certain silver-haired student walked to his desk panting heavily, eyes loaded with a glare.

"Ah, my life wouldn't be so perfect if I didn't have you." Cloud whispered and smirked, taking the sweet-smelling drink from the adolescent's hands. He grinned and gained his composure, as any teacher should. Riku glowered.

"You made me scurry to the furthest Sweets n' Things from our flat, wait in line a good twenty minutes, run back to the house thinking you were still there, sprint to school grounds to be welcomed by your annoying little brother over there, and _now_ the kind of 'thanks' I receive is how great of a housewife I'd make." Out of breath, Riku seethed.

Cloud couldn't help but notice a bottom lip sticking out in a pout while Riku nagged innocently. The teen glanced around, now wary of his surroundings, and brought his attention back to his old crush.

"You're such a pedo. You're sleeping on the couch tonight." He whispered harshly, venom seeping from the words.

"Now Mr. Watenabe, I think now is the time to take a seat?" Cloud asked, still grinning, he took the muffin gently from the other boy's hands. Riku's scowl never faltered as he resentfully stalked to his seat.

"Ok class, I hope you had a well-enough time over your weekend, because I sure did," The class chuckled as Riku shrank into his seat, head remaining downcast, "And as we all discussed Friday, we will be going to the Museum of Cultural Arts for our field trip tomorrow-" Cloud was cut off as the class cheered.

"I really hope you all are cheering for the art, though I have a feeling it's the mixed classes that make you happy." The blonde man grinned charmingly as girls began to swoon.

His ego only inflated more.

"But for now, I need for you all to get into your cultural groups and prepare questions for the speakers, from around the world, who will be speaking with you." Cloud clapped his hands twice, signaling for the boys and girls to get started. Riku's ears rang violently.

World.

Cloud had said world as a one, but wasn't there always more than _a_ world? The term only resonated within the confines of his mind.

It should be... _worlds_... right?

An image of Axel flashed through his thoughts. His jade-green eyes and flaming red hair, like fire, sparked his mind into a silent raucous of questions. Riku had only met that man today, and here he was thinking of him like he meant something to him.

Darkness crept up the walls of his head, cold and uninviting, causing Riku to cower inwardly. A clenching pain infiltrated his stomach as he lurched forward in pain; splitting headache, which felt like two invisible hands stabbing their fingers into his temples, overcame him. Why had he begun to imagine these painful experiences now coursing through his line of sight?

The one thought of Axel brought these pictures to him.

Colors of unknown places swirled his once-vacant of the moment mind. Keys, mermaids, skeletons, children, thrones, whales, and rising waterfalls permeated his thoughts. Riku's hair stood on soundless end as a chill set down his spine. Why was he feeling this way? These thoughts felt like never ending chains of memories…

And these memories brought only more pain to him.

An overruling stab that made his head to spin and teeth to clench caused the teen to bury his face in his hands, unwanted tears forming at the corners of his eyes. His face felt hot; he felt sick. Something had to be done to leave the area soon before a commotion would start.

He attempted to stand up, but his body was conquered by a slow, burning paralysis. He clawed at the desk, trying anything to regain the feeling back into his system. Riku glanced around him; people looked only like blotches of colors revolving around him making him squint with uncertainty. Coming over to the teen hesitantly, Demyx grinned, but that beam faded when he saw that his best friend was struggling somehow.

"R-Riku? Are you ok, man?" The blonde raced over to his desk in full speed. Sora, Tidus, and Wakka vaulted over desks to check out the scene. The sound level in the room downed into a murmur as girls turned to watch and boys silenced completely. Cloud stood up abruptly; his brows furrowed in worry and confusion.

Riku's fringe covered his hot, blearing eyes and his body continued to freeze. His breathing sped up as he attempted to choke out words, desperately pleading for help. The room continued to spin with hues and mixed in with voices of what sounded like general worry.

"What's the problem here?" The Strife speed-walked to the forming group around the silver-headed teen. He pushed through the students, and took a firm hold of Riku's shoulders in concern. He felt under the bangs towards his forehead and retracted his hand in pain. The teen's body felt like fire.

Riku looked up into the stark sapphire orbs.

Then all fell to darkness.

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**So there!I'm quite satisfied with this rendition. Thanks to my supermegafoxyawesomehot beta, (and chibi sized best friend), this wouldn't have even been thought of nor would it have been grammatically correct. I'm back in the writing groove y'all!**

**So if your kindess could extend one more step, and could establish a review, my life will be complete.**

**I mean that.**

**HC95  
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	2. Shutting The Body Down

**A/N: Have any of you heard of VOCALOID? I absolutely love those little things. My favorite is Megurine Luka. But ANYWAYS (check out Just Be Friends by Megurine Luka) Here's the second chapter to my re-energized story. Reviews would be very nice.**

**Disclaimer: Neither Kingdom Hearts or VOCALOID are mine. I wish I owned the Engloids..

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"… _I looked everywhere for you..." Sora, on his knees, was crying bitter tears. A figure in black stood above him, silent. The mysterious man, adorned with silvery white hair and glowing golden eyes, remain stoic. His tanned skin appeared to make the surroundings seem even lighter. The silver-headed teen stood a few feet away, unable to speak._

"_Sora…" Riku finally croaked out. A red-headed girl wearing a pink dress, who Riku had never seen before, stood endearingly next to the spiky-haired brunette with a hand resting on his shoulder comfortingly. Who was she? Frozen in his solid space, the teen glanced around at his blinding, white surroundings. Walls of white and glass roses as tall as forever were long. Out the enormous windows sited a menacingly black sky with a giant glowing heart in the middle._

"_Sora, where are we?" Finally finding the voice to yell to the other boy, he asked, frightened._

_Sora only continued to weep into his hands._

Riku's eyelids ripped from one another. His body lay hot and heavy, as if exhausted from a six mile run. He slowly attempted to sit up; his head began to whirl immediately after his silver hair left the brittle white pillow. Dropping his head back down with a light thump, Riku groaned in pain.

"Oh, you're awake." A warm feminine voice sounded, soothing Riku's hearing. From behind a thin white curtain, a woman with braided chestnut-brown hair revealed herself.

"A-Aerith…?" The silver-headed teen's voice broke from the lack of use. The nurse's slender eyebrows furrowed as she hushed him abruptly.

"Don't speak. You passed out in first period. Cloud had to carry you all the way here." Her eyes smiled warmly at the mention of the other man. "You have a high fever, probably from the unusual cold weather, and Sora's mother is on here way to drop you off at her house." She went quieter towards the end when she mentioned the brunette's mother's name instead of his own. She had come to terms with his past.

Riku's parents had been killed in a car crash eight years previously.

He nodded silently as he turned his head to stare out of the hazily frosted window. Clouds had begun to form in the sky, making the once-beautifully bright Destiny Islands gloomy and uninviting. As the nurse's heels tapped rhythmically away, leaving him in silence, Riku sighed.

He could remember being only ten years old and realizing the full impact of the fact that he would never see his parents again. Since then, The Hikari family, long time companions, accepted the orphan into their arms. Living with the family made Riku become accustomed to the three troublesome brothers; Sora, Roxas, and Cloud. Affection had begun to spark when the oldest Hikari and the silver-headed teen came into close contact, though they never acted on their feelings. Soon enough, when Cloud had become of age, he and Riku bought a penthouse in the city to live together as friends.

A shudder ran throughout his body in a cold chill.

Sephiroth and Jenova, the names of the parents he barely knew, somehow found a way to haunt him in both consciousness and unconsciousness. Somehow, something or someone was connecting all of this, linking the events together. A sudden urge to visit the fiery redhead overcame him; he needed answers.

Gradually at first, he removed his weight from the crisp white-sheeted bed and placed his feet onto the cold marble tile. He sighed lethargically, his joints popped and snapped from the absent movement from which his body was recovering. After putting on his required school uniform shoes, he stepped quietly to the infirmary doorframe and peeked out into the hallway to search for any signs of adult supervision. Grabbing his coat from the rack placed conveniently near the door, he walked down the empty hallway with a tad more determination. Peering around the corner to the reception desk, he saw that the workplace was also devoid of anyone he was supposed to see as an authority figure. Briefly taking one last cautious glance around the perimeter, he briskly walked out of the legalized minor imprisonment.

As he descended the grand front steps, Riku realized that he had left his belongings in the classroom with Cloud and Sora. Buttoning up his school blazer to prevent the biting wind from contacting his skin, the silver-headed teenager resolved that Cloud would, more than likely, keep his belongings in hand. Unhurriedly, silver hair loftily floating behind him, Riku cleared the final two school steps, turned right, and ambled through the busy mainland city streets, taking in all of the stimulants around him. He glanced at the varied faces of people rushing to their own destinations, and inwardly smiled. Here he was, ditching school and wandering, quite alone, in the biggest city on the world.

_World._

Shaking his head, the boy shivered at the reflection. That one word was what caused his condition now, and he'd rather not reenact what happened before. Deciding against pursuing the thought, the eighteen-year-old allowed his feet and his instinct to guide him wherever they sought fit. Upon reaching a small, quaint building, he was overcome with eccentric scents of spices and coffee beans.

Back to where it all began was his best bet for answers.

He paced into the facility. The shop was quieter this time of day; no constant ringing cell phones or loud talking like the example of that morning. He swiftly looked at the small blonde who was reading a popular Destiny Island Mainland teen magazine, _Eighteen_. After the small bell signaled Riku entering the door, she looked up and smiled warmly.

"You're back." She beamed.

"Yeah, didn't feel like going to school today." He shrugged casually.

"I understand. Want anything? It'll be on the house since there's like, no one here." The blonde offered happily.

"No, thank you, I'm just here to rest… I guess." He acknowledged her offer and went to sit at one of the seats nearest the counter. He hummed to the soft tune he recognized playing on the speakers of the facility.

"Can I ask where you're from? You're so fair-skinned." Pulling her deep red apron over her hair, the girl hopped the counter in one fluid movement and joined Riku. His stare lingered for a moment, surprised from the swiftness of the girl.

"O-oh, I was born here, actually." The silver-headed teen's attention returned as he put his cool persona into place. The girl suddenly slapped her forehead; Riku let out a snort in amusement.

"Duh, I still haven't introduced myself! I'm sorry, my name's Namine; seventeen. It's nice to meet you…uh," Her blue eyes twinkled as she narrowed them slightly.

"Oh yeah, my name's Riku, I'm eighteen." He smiled warmly and laid back into his seat. Namine's eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and then regained the innocent expression. Her clothes ruffled as she shifted in her seat with ease.

"So," Riku traced his finger on a design on the tabletop awkwardly, "Are you from here as well?"

"Well... no. I was originally from Traverse Town. It's a small city far from here, but my sister and I moved a lot when we were young… her name's Kairi." Blonde hair was tossed as Namine rubbed the back of her neck, attempting casualness.

"Can I be honest with you for a moment?" Riku sat up straight, and then leaned in, making movements for the other to follow. Glancing past her shoulders as if someone was there, he spoke.

"I can tell you just lied to me." He whispered into her ear. She made a startled sound and moved her chair back. Riku smirked.

"How do you know I'm lying?" Namine's sky blue eyes narrowed.

"Apart from the obvious liar's signs? Well, I just have gut feelings, and most times I'm right." His smirk never faltered, "This Kairi person _isn't _your sister, and you didn't travel when you were younger… dunno about the Traverse Town part though…" Looking up, as if in deep thought, Riku tapped his chin.

"I have a feeling you're mocking me…" The blonde muttered to herself, slumping in her chair. "Either way, I don't make it of habit to tell my life story to strangers."

"You approached me, remember?" Riku deadpanned. "And I have a feeling we're not complete strangers. Have I met you somewhere before?" Leaning in over the square table, Riku stared accusingly into Namine's blue eyes; his own aqua orbs daringly narrowed.

Abruptly snapping his head up, a crash sounded through the back door. A string of curses was shouted as what sounded like hard metal hit the tiled floor. Saying her own obscenity, her thin white shirt floating behind her, Namine fled to the scene of the crash. The blond flung the door open swiftly to have Riku be greeted with flaming red hair and sparkling green eyes.

"Dammit, Axel! What _are _you doing in there?!" Namine cursed at the man struggling to stand.

"Jeez Nami, your words hurt me." The flaming red-haired man rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and leaned on the door frame as he sat. Riku could only stare dumbly.

Glancing over at the now-noticed boy, Axel stood rapidly and pointed an accusing finger.

"You're that kid I met earlier! Why are you back?! Nami, you think it's _him_?" A small-but-powerful fist met the top of the man's head as the petite blonde fumed. Axel cringed in pain as he, somewhat unsuccessfully, attempted to withhold swears. The silver-headed teen laughed in spite of himself at the scene unfolding. The two of them acted like the friends he was surrounded by at school.

"_Fuck _Axel, you might as well spill everything _else _we've been working on… Dammit. See what you did?" Riku's eyes widened at the seemingly-innocent girl's foul mouth. Namine sighed softly, "I believe the two of you have already met this morning." Riku nodded.

"Can I ask why you were back there, Axel? Wait, we _are_ on first name basis, right?" The teen raised a questioning eyebrow. Axel walked away from the blonde and to the teen. Securing a seat, the redhead plopped down into a straddle of the iron chair.

"I was doing some work. _If_ you follow me, I could maybe show you a thing or two of what I do to innocent little boys like you in a back room." His wolfish smile glinted as his words soothed the teen's hearing.

Riku glared, amusement fading from his expression. "You're turning out to be someone I don't think I'll like." He crossed his arms, confrontationally sizing up the other man.

"I have a feeling you're going to be asking a lot of questions now." Namine sighed and rubbed her temples, making her way over to the two. Riku nodded his head.

"We might as well start from the beginning." The two of them nodded to each other.

"Have you ever dreamt dreams that felt real?" Namine began after a second of contemplating.

"Of course, everyone does. It's just your subconscious surfacing a bit during sleep." The teen explained, sounding, once again, more intelligent than he seemed.

"We believe there are special cases for these kinds of dreams; almost as if they cross over into reality through the person dreaming." The blonde girl chose her words carefully.

"Okay. You see… god, how do I explain this…" The redhead seemed to be distressed.

"This island and the people here aren't... _really_ here." Axel slowly spoke. Aqua eyes widened slightly, but the serious expression remained.

"So, you really _are_ insane." Riku raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Look kid, ya gotta hear me out before you start making assumptions." A temper, fiery as his hair, was beginning to flare within the other.

"I hate to have to drop it all on you so quickly, but it's better if you know."

After a small nod of confirmation was cast, Axel continued.

"You see, you, me and Nami are different from the people here. You were 'born and raised' to know that there is only one world, right?" Riku opened his mouth to contradict, but failed as Axel continued.

"Well, some of the characters you know here _are_ part of your real life, but, in reality, there's more than one world. So far, only the three of us are what we call Actuals; people who were more than likely… _placed_ in this world."

"So, you're saying that some of my friends are not real here, but in another 'reality'?" The teen questioned.

"Something like that." Axel sighed, regaining his train of thought.

"You may not know them in your real life, but they _are there_. Namine and I have been doing research on this whole ordeal ever since we met three years ago. When I was younger, about ten, I was plagued with dreams and thoughts that felt as if they didn't belong to me. Sometime's I'd even lose consciousness, the feelings were so strong." The mischievous glint in the jade green eyes was but a ghost to the dark seriousness.

"When me and Namine met in school, she was known for being absent a lot due to illness. I linked the symptoms, put two and two together, and tried to get the message across.

"Never mind that, though. The only conclusion we've come to is that we don't belong here. We think some_one_ or some_thing_ is also here to help us escape... and we also think that someone is you." The man concluded, leaning forward on his elbows expectantly.

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa; _do you even understand what you're saying? Are you insane?" Riku's eyes closed as he spoke, his voice laced with venom. "You seriously think I'm some Armageddon savior to these _Actuals_, and you want me to join on this quest to some reality which doesn't even exist?" The silver-headed teen rose from his seat and rested his hands on the table.

"I don't know if this is your idea of funny, but I know that I'm far from laughing." Upon those icy words, he turned to leave. As he reached for the doorknob, he stopped upon hearing the twenty-one year old laugh.

"Before you go, I want you to do just one thing so that I may convince you, even if it's only a little." Axel's green eyes glinted, whether in trickery or malice, Riku wasn't sure. "… Touch me."

Riku stared.

"You want me to..._touch _you." the silver headed teen turned on his heel to face the other man.

"That's what I said. Just come here, and you'll see what I mean. I'm being dead serious." He nodded the other over. Namine sighed, already knowing where this was leading.

Walking guardedly over, Riku hesitantly extended his hand to briefly touch the man's arm. Directly upon contact, jolts of what felt like electricity ran up from his pale hands to his whole body. Emotions, thoughts, and experiences that never belonged to him transferred to and from the two bodies. Axel smirked.

"Go ahead; I know you'd like _stroke_ a little more." The playful attitude returned as briskly as it had left. Cringing a slightly upon contact yet again, the aqua-eyed teen's expression was that of sheer disbelief.

Closing his eyes, faint smells and voices flooded into Riku's mind as his kept his hand lightly in contact with the other's forearm. In his mind, Riku smiled as he saw his home island and an unfamiliar branch off-island full with tall trees and a waterfall. Opening his eyes slowly, and using the breath stolen from him, Riku exhaled.

"Okay, you've got my attention."

* * *

"Where the _hell_ have you been? We were all worried sick about you and you up and _walk _out of _school_?!" a blonde man paced the wooden floorboards, his socked feet patting on the floor every step he took.

Laying on the black leather couch, Riku, with the remote in hand, flipped through TV shows, unfazed. The teen glanced at the venting man every once in a while, and smiled at his attempts to make him listen, but shrugged it off in a rebelliously apathetic conclusion. Suddenly staring at a black screen, Riku turned to glare at the man.

"I was watching that." Riku said lazily, without moving a muscle.

"You're acting like such a... ugh, such a _teenager_! Can you just listen to me for _once?_ God, Riku, anything could've happened." Cloud sat next to Riku's form, clutching the teen's shoulders in his hand.

"The whole family was worried, and I can't have you just _sit_ here and not tell me what you were _thinking_. Don't try to make me satisfied with your usual 'I'm okay's. Please, just… don't scare us like that again. I know you're eighteen now, and you think you're grown, but we're supposed to tell each other these kinds of things."

Riku's eyes softened; Cloud could be so sentimental at times. He playfully slapped the man's hands away from his.

"Okay, this morning I just had a bad headache because I didn't sleep much last night, so that's probably why I lost consciousness." He thought that wasn't exactly _lying_ to the other, the lack of sleep _had_ happened.

"Where I went… I went to see some friends at their job. You know me; I do things only when there's no one to stop me." The silver-headed teen smirked. Cloud released a sigh of relief.

"You're a demon you know that?" Lifting his blond head, he locked eyes with Riku and smiled. "Did you also walk home in the rain?" Glancing outside, the overcast clouds had gotten heavier and darker, making little droplets turn into shower hours ago. Riku thought back for a moment, and then nodded a 'yes'.

"Anyway, I suggest you call Sora and mom because they were practically losing their sanity." Cloud rolled his eyes and put a hand on Riku's shoulder for balance as he stand.

For that split second, Riku closed his eyes and did something he hadn't done for years. He prayed.

He prayed that he would feel the invigorating spark he had with Axel; he prayed that he would have distant memories like a far off dream into other worlds; most of all, he prayed that his feelings for Cloud remained, no matter how repressed he tried to keep them.

A warm hand set firmly on his shoulder for that fraction of a second, nothing more.

Reopening his eyes unhurriedly, he stared at the blonde's retreating form. When Cloud left, Riku absorbed his surroundings. The chocolate-brown wooden floors; the large screen set before him; the windows lined up with each other equally; the black grand piano that stood quietly; the faint aroma of tea bags floating from the kitchen…

"_This world is nothing but a program someone wanted us to be in."_

Riku's heart felt heavy.

"_Everything you've come to know isn't really there, nor has it ever been."_

The Cloud that Riku loved was only a figment of imagination created by some person with an agenda.

"_You're the person who can help leave this world and into get us into our real selves."_

_

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**A/N: Dun- dun-na- na! There's goes chapter two! *watches it walk off***

**Now That I've got the plotline somewhat across, leave your kudos and whatever else in a review please?**


	3. Prepare For REM

**A/N: O.O I'm becoming a zombie. I've stayed up late almost every night for a week drawing;**

** Yes drawing. **

**I'm pretty sure I've mentioned VOCALOID before, but I'll _vocalize_ it again. AHA see what I did there?! VOCALOID in a nutshell is a series of characters created as personas for these synthesized voices, first created by their respective singers. A program initially made in Japan, named Vocaloid, is attributed to the human voices to make it sound synthesized and unique. My personal favorite characters are Miku Hatsune (who seems to be the most famous in my opinion), Rin and Len Kagamine, Megurine Luka, and Kaito. All of the names mean something in Japanese, sometimes even puns. (Ren and Lin are puns for left and right since they're twins and their last name means "mirror")**

**Now that my nerding out is finished..Let's nerd out some more! **

**Oh! But before I begin to make this author's note too long, I just want to state that I've recently been converted to a Harry Potter nerd and I'm sure proud of it! So if anyone has the heart (or the mind to care) refer me some amazing works of fanfiction art? Preferably Sirius/Remus XD**

**Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts is not mine..Crap, neither is VOCALOID huh?**

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_Let me soar; open the doors to my existence…_

It was dark. There was nothing else to explain about it; whatever "it" was. He was surrounded by a damp air in complete blackness…

_...release me from the fate heaven has woven... _

He touched his sweat-dampened face, slowly coming to realization that something was there that shouldn't have been…

_Free my eyes from this blind world…_

Slowly, finally, delicate trembling hands tugged away the edge of the blindfold and his sightless eyes opened...

_And let it begin again…_

Riku awoke in a cold sweat, gripping pearly silk sheets that suddenly felt like a straightjacket against his body. His breath was hitched and his heartbeat was thundering within his chest, threatening to break a rib or two. Taking a deep, shuddering breath and listening to the flutters of rain on the window pane, Riku slowly released his aching grasp and rubbed his eyes in a daze. Looking around, the room filled with pale pastels of grays and blues; he sighed at the oddity of the weather once again.

Riku laid his silver locks back on the plump pillow as he watched the ceiling fan circling over his form. The familiar, rhythmic movement helped set his mind straight and his breathing calm. A crack of lightning stirred the deadly calm Destiny Island Mainland.

"_Everything you've come to know isn't really there, nor has it ever been."_

Riku's eyes remained dim and apathetic. He shivered, realizing the fan was still on when the temperature felt below zero. He swung his bare feet over the edge of the bed and sat up in one motion. Today was Saturday, and normally Cloud would devote a majority of his time to the teen, normally playing video games or hanging out with their large group of friends. The older man had yet to be seen or heard.

Raising his body to stand, Riku's cold bones made snapping noises in protest to the sudden movement. He agreed with them. Gliding across the dark-stained wooden floor to the shadowy bathroom, the silver-headed teen didn't bother to flip the light on. He left his hands to be his eyes, his gentle fingers sliding across the icy marble countertop.

Finally finding the faucet to the sink, he ran the water which, too, was stark cold. Pale hands cupped together as the water chilled them in a shallow pool. In one swift movement, the pastel hands brought themselves to Riku's face, leaving a stinging, numbing sensation.

Another flash of lightening revealed itself to the world outside.

"…_I looked everywhere for you..."_

As he saw his sleep-darkened face, Riku smirked bitterly at his illuminated reflection in the glass. How pathetic it was that he was acting so barren of feelings. His breathing became hitched again, and he could feel the heat rushing to his eyes as his fists clenched. All at once the pictures haunted him. Every detail that was forcefully explained to him made his throat close and his stomach turn unpleasantly.

At first he fought them; the feeling to cry welled up from the pit of his stomach, rising through his choked throat. Tears formed at the corners of his eyes as the heat continued to grow passively behind them. Riku wiped them away hastily as he continued to stare into be reflection that should've been shown. The permeated darkness swelled around him.

He was angry nowadays. Having been a week since being confronted with the overwhelmingly new information of his life, his façade of aloofness faded to that of a miserable, brooding adolescent. In a silent fit of indescribably dejected anger he punched the invisible glass.

"_When you walk away, you don't hear me say—" _The alarming cell phone ringtone awoke the teen's mind. Not even minding to care for his hand, which felt quite broken, and was dripping with blood from his knuckles, he hurried to his phone and looked over the number that was calling.

Unknown.

"_Please, oh baby, don't go."_

Stupid Sora and his lame prank calls.

"Sora, if you really want to prank call someone, it should be at night—"

"Sora? Who's that?" An amused voice hummed through the speaker. The silver-headed teen's heart skipped a couple beats, and he felt heat rising to his cheeks in embarrassment.

"A-Axel? How did you get this number?" Riku covered up the leftover feelings of surprise.

"Did I forget to tell you I'm a hacker? I think I did." Riku smiled softly. He could sense the triumphant smirk of the other on the phone.

"Look outside your window." The voice said after a couple moments of slightly awkward silence was exchanged. Riku hesitantly walked to the hazy window and pulled the white curtains apart, peeking through them to the raining world. Resting at the side of the penthouse building, in its entire splendor, was a black on black sports car somehow gleaming in the dim light from the weeping sky.

"What—"

"I wanted to see you."

By that moment, Riku had already made his way down the stairs.

"What are you _doing_ here?" The teen stormed, as best as he could while barefoot, outside; his face contorted in hatred.

"And what are _you _doing out in the rain without a shirt and just pajama bottoms?" The fiery redhead quirked a perky eyebrow. "Riku, what happened to your hand." That inquiry was clearly not a rhetorical question.

"Nothing you have to be concerned about." The teen didn't make eye contact as his body stiffened. He hid the bleeding hand behind his back in defense, glare never faltering.

"So, are we gonna stay in the rain, or what?" Axel made his way over to the teen in a few smooth steps, pressing a button on his keys to lock his car. For the first official time since he had awoken, Riku shivered.

"You can come inside… just for now." Long lashes closed slowly as he mumbled his response. Making their way upstairs was quite an awkward event within itself. Both were sopping wet and uncomfortably so. Self-conscious glances were sent at each other in the silent elevator; eyes met and quickly shot the opposite direction. It was times like those that lame elevator music was truly needed. Reaching the destined penthouse, Riku took Axel's jacket.

"Would you like some tea or anything to eat?" He asked as he tossed the redhead a dry towel. Looking around the decorated room and then to the teen, Axel smiled.

"I'm not much of a _tea_ person. Got any coffee?" Giving Riku a boyish grin, he took off his sopping black sneakers by the entrance.

"Yeah we do; what do you want in it?" Riku began to wipe his damp hair when he realized his hand may have really been broken. Small drops of blood surfaced and fell upon the silver hair, running with the streaks of rain down the strands. He silently winced.

"A lot of sugar please." Axel eyed him wearily as he stepped to sit in the stool at the kitchen counter.

Riku mumbled something vaguely of health.

"Nice place you have. Is this all yours?" Sparking a conversation, Axel's green eyes flickered to the diminutive cringes coming from the other boy's body.

"No, I don't work yet. My roommate Cloud is a teacher and bought this place with most of his money." Riku replied confidently, making sure that he emphasized the endearment used.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised. I mean, who _wouldn't _want you to live with them." Axel leaned onto the counter playfully as his legs swung from the metallic gray barstool. Riku unconsciously cringed again.

"Y-yea…" The eighteen-year-old replied, without thought. His hand throbbed mercilessly. Doing everything with his left hand wasn't making the situation any better either.

"What, no witty comeback?" Axel furrowed his brow, noticing the root of Riku's struggles. "Let me see your hand." Jumping from the stool, he moved towards the coffee maker where Riku stood.

Placing his possibly-broken right hand in the warm touch of the redhead made shivers run down the youth's body. Aquamarine orbs glazed over the slim but soft physique of the man older than him, every inch of porcelain a tad less of an eyesore.

Not that it meant anything significant, mind you.

"Doesn't seem to be a break." Axel examined the slender hand. Shifting their bodies to where he was looming over Riku, he turned the hot water tap at the sink, though it came out cold. Riku flinched noticeably harder this time from the icy liquid and the electric shock coming from the man behind him. His mind seemed to turn off from the two extreme differences in his surroundings.

Time seemed to stop in space. Riku was forced to dream again.

_In this one moment, he remembered a stark white room with a lone giant orb looming over the room. A feeling of nostalgia overcame him as he glanced at the face of a longtime friend within the orb. In the memory, the younger Riku turned to see Axel behind him, leaning on a white wall, smirking. The redhead motioned for the teen to follow him, and fifteen-year-old Riku obeyed; for some reason he felt it was right._

"I think that's enough water." Axel's smooth voice fed Riku's wanting hearing, releasing him of his momentary dream of what could've been the past. Releasing some of the weight from Riku, the redhead ripped a sliver of fabric from his black long sleeve shirt and wrapped it carefully and skillfully around the bruised hand. Humming a distant tune, Axel smiled at his handiwork.

"With that, I think you should see a doctor." Patting Riku's silver head as if he were a child, he took the place at the coffee maker, pouring all the items into a charmingly tacky Christmas mug.

"Ripping your shirt doesn't make you a hero, rather a heathen." Riku kept the distaste in his voice. Axel shrugged and leaned against the granite countertop on his elbows.

"We all wanna feel like a hero once in a while, right?" Lightly blowing the steam from atop the mug, the redhead took a sip of the black coffee.

"Never mind that. What do you want Axel?" Impatience voiced itself.

"It's not just what I think it is, this whole situation... Well _is._ I came to pick you up actually." Walking swiftly past Riku, the man made his way to the grand piano on the other side of the room.

"Pick me up to take me where?" Riku's irritancy began to rise at the nonchalant attitude of the tall man.

"To your home island, of course." Setting down the mug, Axel sat at the piano and lifted the lid, "We're going to see if anything there can help trigger your senses on just how to get out of here." Positioning his hands, he began to play what seemed like a lullaby. Riku could only stop and listen at the fluency of the song and how well it was played, his temper momentarily faltering, before continuing his rant.

"My island has nothing to do with these dreams." The silver-headed teen looked to the hardwood floor.

"Dreams? I don't recall you telling us about dreams." Axel stopped the movement of his fingers and sat still to listen, taking another long sip of his coffee.

"Well they're not so much of dreams… they're more of visions of things I've never even experienced…" Taking steps to the couch, Riku sat on the arm of the chair in a daze of thought.

"In these dreams… do you feel like you've known people you've never seen before?" Turning to face the teen, Axel straddled the black piano seat, kicking his leg over in a fleeting movement.

"Yeah, I do. But it's more than just _knowing_ them in the dreams. Sometimes I _am_ them; or so I think at least." The words struggled to make their ways out of Riku's pink lips and Axel stared intently.

"Is that so..?" With that question, the twenty-one year old man rose and bounded for what he knew was the teen's bedroom.

"Whoa, where the hell do _you_ think you're going?!" Riku immediately noticed the movement of the other man and rushed behind him.

"I know where I'm going, and I know where you're going. Call your little boyfriend and tell him we're gonna be out for a while." Rushing into the unoccupied room, Axel rummaged through the assorted clothes. Hurriedly picking out a white long sleeved shirt and navy sweater with jeans, he tossed the clothing articles in the confused teen's face.

"Hurry up and put these one, we gotta get going." As he saw the blank stare of the boy as a reply, Axel hurriedly sighed, "Like _now._"

Beside himself, Riku nodded in obedience and walked quickly to the bathroom to get ready for wherever Axel was taking him with no fuss. Turning his focus back to the closet and drawers of sorts, Axel found a medium sized bag and stuffed clothes, shoes, and other assortments of clothing into it with no hesitation for neatness.

"Um, hey Cloud… I'm going to be out today to run some errands…" As the redhead waited for the other, he heard silver headed teen speak softly.

"I know I know, I'm not doing anything that'll get me in trouble." Pause. "I'll drop by mom's house." He was rushing his speech now; Axel could tell the urgency. "Just drop it okay? Bye." Upon hearing the phone make contact with the countertop, Axel questioned in a rush.

"Hey, are you ready yet?" Riku came from the double doors slowly, nodding his head in affirmation. Axel sent a small smile to reassure the younger of the two.

"Don't worry too much okay? I'll try to get you home when this is over and done."

Axel hadn't even the slightest clue as to how that statement upset him in more ways than one.

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It was reaching an hour into traffic, and Riku didn't know if he could really take the deafening silence in the car any longer. Since the moment Riku had locked the door to his penthouse with hesitance, the redhead had kept a serious expression on his face; this, in fact, frightened the teen. The air of impatience surrounded the man in startling quantities, only making the drive tenser.

"So, you like music?" He figured starting a conversation never hurt anything.

"Huh? Oh yeah, I play some guitar and piano. You?" Axel looked over and smiled comfortingly.

"I actually listen to a lot of jazz, so I've been learning piano." Riku grinned and rubbed behind his neck sheepishly. A few more moments of silence passed as the drizzling rain tapped overhead and on the windows.

"Am I the only one who is noticing that this ride has been very awkward?" Axel lowered in his seat as he rhythmically honked the horn, clearly upsetting the other drivers. Axel laughed and continued to make rhythms with the horn, visibly amused.

"To tell the truth, you took the words right out of my mouth." Finally the air loosened and Riku took a deep breath.

"I could take your breath from there, too, if you'd chance me." Axel began to slowly lean towards the teen with a flirtatious, wolfish grin.

"And just when I thought you weren't a pedo…" Riku shoved the man's face away from his own with a smirk curling at the sides of his mouth.

"I can hardly call it pedophilia when you're _obviously_ legal." Twirling a silver lock slowly, close to Riku's ear, Axel shamelessly continued. His voice was a low growl, causing Riku an uncomfortable shift in his body. Riku didn't like where this was going.

"Just pull up before these people _want _to cause an accident." Silver locks swayed as Riku turned to face the window once more, disliking the direction of the conversation. Obediently following the orders, the musician began to fill the widening gap between themselves and the cars ahead. The brewing riot between drivers eventually calmed as Axel's reckless driving gained control.

Fifteen minutes into silence, traffic began to quickly clear and the two were on the main bridge connecting the mainland to the adjacent island. The once cerulean blue sparkling ocean was now gray, dead-looking, and crashing violently against the pillars. As Riku rested his head on the cold window pane, fleeting memories danced across his sight, allowing him to live in the foreign emotions, no matter how brief. The dreary tumbling waves made shivers run down the silverette's spine.

"When we get… wherever you're taking me, what will we do?" Leaning into the air vent, heat rushed into the silver headed teen's face blowing his silver hair back, as he waited for an answer.

"Well, where did you spend most of your childhood on this branch island?" Steering right, emerald eyes never left the road.

"There was a small play island Sora and I always hung out at. But the only way you could get there was by boat…" Trailing off, aqua eyes glanced at the redhead beside him, his cheeks reddening from the heat.

"Then that's exactly how we'll get there." Axel had a grin of determination plastered on his face like a Vegas billboard as he began to pick up the speed of the car, going from fifty to seventy-five. Struggling to ignore the sudden speed, Riku's heart began to pick up pace as they pulled up nearer and nearer the little town. He slowed as they approached the winding roads of a small town… if it could be called even that. The stoned-paved streets were filled, despite the blistery weather, and as they passed, the civilians waved happily.

"Well, that sure doesn't happen the in the city, does it?" Axel chuckled to himself, his eyes softening at a sight of three children who paused their game to wave at the passing car.

"It's probably because of your flashy sports car. Barely anyone here drives, let alone have a car." An empathetic Riku explained.

The tires of the car began to crunch against the transition of pavement to the white sandy beach; the steady crashing of the waves became more apparent. After finding a decent area to place the car, the redhead finally put the gearshift into park and removed the keys from the ignition. Sighing and looking over, his emerald gaze made Riku flinch from the intensity. The teen's dread only increased as his stomach rose to the rim of his throat. Whatever insanity had caused him to accompany the man, Riku definitely regretted allowing it to overcome him.

Axel heaved another heavy sigh before beginning.

"Whatever we may find out, you have to promise me one thing." The sudden solemn aura caught the wary teen off guard, nervous of what was prepared to be said. Nodding silently with a matching expression to Axel's, Riku waited.

"You have to promise me, even if you're driven to that point, you must not even _consider _allowing your mind to be taken from you." Their faces were now mere inches away from each other. Riku blinked.

"_What?_" His facial expression changed rapidly from skeptical to frightened, as the redhead's emitting emotions stayed the same serious form.

"Yeah, I know it sounds insane now, but _please_ just make sure you stay by my side at all times the best you can okay? There will probably be a time where you'll have to go off on your own, but until then…" Axel trailed off, the mainland slang was removed from his speech as he stared daringly into aqua eyes.

"Whatever you're referring to, you're probably mistaken. If you've forgotten, I was_ born_ here." The burnt out stubbornness returned to the teen, huffing in the other man's face.

Without answering the redhead silently pushed the sports car's door open, and stepped out swiftly. Taking a scanning glance around the barren surroundings and then to the quaint town behind him, his face remained grim. As the redhead leaned into the car, his eyes glinted with knowing smugness laced with hints of fear.

"Heh, I guess we'll just have to see how far that statement takes you."

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**A/N: Grrr. I'm becoming so frustrated at myself lately in my writing. I used to have more tolerance and patience when creating long chapters.**

**Well you've seen that's gone to shit as of late. Bear with me?**

**Now, for the pleading: PleasePLEASE**_**PLEASE **_**review?! I swear I'll get more discipline!**


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